Athletic Bilbao have extended the contract of Aymeric Laporte by another season and placed a €50m release clause on the French defender to ward off interest from Manchester United.
The 21-year-old Frenchman is being monitored by Louis van Gaal as a potential summer recruitment but his decision to sign a new deal will make it hard for United to prise him away from the San Mamés. A statement on Athletic’s website on Friday confirmed Laporte is now contracted to the club until 2019.
A key member of France’s Under-21 side, Laporte has yet to make an appearance for the senior side given stiff competition from the likes of Raphaël Varane, Laurent Koscielny and Kurt Zouma. However he is tipped to be a regular in the future having made 49 appearances in all competitions as Athletic finished seventh in La Liga to qualify for the Europa League.
